Every August, desi social media turns into a tricolour flipbook. The posts arrive like clockwork, and this year’s Instagram reels didn’t disappoint. Corny TikTok-era skits promoting religious harmony were recreated. An endless stream of ‘Des Rangila’ reels flooded the algorithm. The brands, engagement vultures that they are, showed up with AI-powered greetings and promo images betraying subpar Canva skills. And how can any trend be complete without a fit check?
In the Viral Spiral of 15 August reels, annual gathering scenes play out on Instagram. Tricolour costumes, ‘unity in diversity’ productions, and every ‘Hum Hindustani’-style song Bollywood has churned out since before 1947—you name it, the reels have it. This year, though, ‘Des Rangila’ is the chosen soundtrack for the tricolour moodboard.
“Sab hatt jao mujhe bohot zor se desh bhakti aa rahi hai (Everyone step aside, I’m really feeling patriotism),” said the text on a reel where a bearded Muslim man performed some zesty steps to ‘Des Rangila’.
“99% indians on 15th August and 26th January,” said a comment.
It’s remarkable that ‘Des Rangila’ has dominated patriotic sentiment in the country for the past two decades. Countless songs have come and gone, but the Fanaa number remains a flagbearer of patriotism. Though in the age of Gen Z, the song has had to make some adjustments.
In a reel posted on 3 August that has since gone viral, creator @yallum_dd performed an “Independence Day dance in the Gen Z style”, with minimalistic movements characteristic of social media dance trends. What used to be an extravagant school production is now a 15-second clip.
“Brazil mata ki Jai!!” reads a comment, highlighting that the footwork has been lifted wholesale from a Brazilian dance trend. Patriotism is playing out on social media with outsourced choreography.
Then there’s a reel by creator Namira Khan, her face superimposed onto a rocket, mid-launch.
“Tum log naacho desh rangila par mujhe Modiji ne 15 August tak mission pe bheja hai (You guys dance on ‘Des Rangila’ but I’ve been sent on a mission by PM Modi until 15 August),” said the text.
Everyone else does the steps. She’s apparently been given a national assignment and skipped the dance floor entirely. And she wasn’t alone in her “national mission.”
“Abhi teri reels pe react nahi kar paunga, 15 August ki training par hun (Can’t react to your reels, I am training for Independence Day),” posted creator Piyush Bhandari.
Everyone has been drafted to create funny reels to celebrate the national holiday.
The many colours of patriotism
One brand of reels uses the song to reveal the failings of India and Indians. In a video on 22 July—the peak of the youth protest in Delhi—creator Aishi Das Khan flipped the song, singing instead ‘Des Andhera Andhera’. Each line in this new song had a pointed critique of the current state of affairs.
“I’m going to post this on 15 August,” read the top comment.
Creator Shamiya Shaikh went along with the minimalist ‘Des Rangeela’ choreography, pairing it with the text: “Indian Muslims vibing after raising louder voices on national issues and still being hated.”
The commenters resonated with her. “Hato mujhpe deshbhakti sabit karne ka sabse zyada pressure (Move aside, I have the biggest pressure to prove my patriotism),” wrote one.
Another creator paired the cheerful song with visuals of polluted rivers, air, garbage, littering, and in-fighting.
These were the ‘social message’ performances of the annual day event—except, after the CJP moment, they’ve begun to resonate more strongly than ever.
Elsewhere, it is lighter.
Some are celebrating ‘26 August’, while others wish India a happy birthday with the Irish tricolour flag. Now I know why I loved Derry Girls so much. Roblox worlds are ready for their own parades and performances. People are sweetly calling out the brand of Indians who are loudest on Independence Day but secretly await their permanent visa. And Rakhi Sawant rides an AI horse holding a giant flag.
As the hundredth Des Rangila reel pops up on my feed, I reminisce about the one time when a friend from Kerala collaborated with their flatmate from Assam on teaching the choreography to a classmate from Kashmir. Nobody got the steps right. Everyone laughed. The song felt like the story of our lives.
That’s why ‘Des Rangila’ steals the spotlight every Independence Day. The song doesn’t just wave a flag; it throws an entire parade for everything India actually is, well beyond the four colours on the flag. No wonder Gen Z’s obsessed. It’s patriotism with main-character energy.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)